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Phanny, v. 3, issue 3, December 1944

Page 16

16         P H A N N Y                    16
_______________________________

CUSHLAMOCHREE #2 (B-) This is really a "pre-mailing," since it reviews material in the regular fall mailing. -- The editorial has the quality of frankness, if nothing else, and is fairly interesting. -- Just how do you go about drawing a distinction between "fan poetry" and other poetry, Walt? Would you have been able, without the name of the author and the publication, to tell which poems in the last issue of SAPPHO were "professional" and which were "fan?" Frankly, I don't think you could. Could you distinguish between the professionally published work of Gray, and that published in The Mad Muse? I'm sure I can see no difference in quality, although there is sometimes a difference in subject matter.
   I think, Walt, you are implying a property of "fan" poetry which does not exist. There is a definite distinction between the usual run of fan fiction and typical pro fiction, which can usually be perceived quite readily. Sometimes, "fan fiction" means merely regular fiction written by a fan. In this case, it may an attempt at the pros which was rejected for reasons of policy having nothing to do with quality of the work; some very good fiction of this sort has appeared, but the quantity has been small. More often, it is an attempt to write for the pros which was turned down because it simply wasn't any good; there is more of this type, and this is the type to which the term "fan fiction" is often applied as a term of opprobnium. A third kind is fiction of high merit which is written in the style of the "little art" magazines; experimental fiction, fiction written to sustain a mood, etc. Much of this stinks, but some of it is excellent. And finally, there is the type of fiction written about fans or Fandom, such as Doc's "Trigger Talk...." serial.
   Now, I think you have attempted to carry these classifications over into the field of fan-written poetry, but the analogy just doesn't hold, except in the case of something like Raym's "Raymeses," which is comparable to stuff like Doc's serial as to content and intent. -- I think you might write your editorial and any articles or general comments you have to make, beforehand, Walt, reserving the "direct on the stencil" procedure for reviews. You'd find considerable improvement, I think.
YNGVI, 1944 (C) From a literary standpoint, Forrie, this is probably the best thing you have presented in FAPA since I became a member; but it isn't intended as a literary gem, and so I'll not criticize it on that basis.
   I don't like an informer, either, please understand, nor do I like the idea of one member assuming censorial powers; but there is another side to this question which you completely ignore. There exists now, and always has existed, the possibility that some outsider would take one peak at a mailing, get a glance at one of your less palatable nudes or an off-color joke in some other member's pub, and take the thing to the postal authorities, on the grounds that the laws governing dissemination of obscene matter through the mails are being violated. There is an excellent chance that FAPA would be destroyed thereby; not through the agency of any disgruntled member, but through the action of a very few who intentionally or otherwise--in your case, I think, intentionally--flout the law as a means of carrying out a personal whim, or propagandizing certain concepts which are not generally accepted. Note, too, that the would-be informer can't do any damage so long as the law is observed, although when a member avails himself of the special low mailingrates, he necessarily tacitly agrees to abide by the laws governing such special mailing rates.
   If you, as publisher of VOM, wish to take such a chance, that is your privilege; I notice, however, that you are not disregarding advice along this line as you once did.
   As for Fandom being "a society asynchronized with space and time, a world unto itself," that is utter hooey. I think, to you, it is; to me it is not, nor is it, I think, to more than ten per cent of the membership of FAPA. You have every right to regard Fandom in that light, but you have no right to endanger the rights of the rest of us, in order to forward that concept.
                      ....................
Taken all together, this last has been a very good mailing; not the best, but one of the best; and certainly, some of the activities have been controversial enough for anybody. Which brings us to the very end of this Winter PHANNY.

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16 P H A N N Y 16 _______________________________ CUSHLAMOCHREE #2 (B-) This is really a "pre-mailing," since it reviews material in the regular fall mailing. -- The editorial has the quality of frankness, if nothing else, and is fairly interesting. -- Just how do you go about drawing a distinction between "fan poetry" and other poetry, Walt? Would you have been able, without the name of the author and the publication, to tell which poems in the last issue of SAPPHO were "professional" and which were "fan?" Frankly, I don't think you could. Could you distinguish between the professionally published work of Gray, and that published in The Mad Muse? I'm sure I can see no difference in quality, although there is sometimes a difference in subject matter. I think, Walt, you are implying a property of "fan" poetry which does not exist. There is a definite distinction between the usual run of fan fiction and typical pro fiction, which can usually be perceived quite readily. Sometimes, "fan fiction" means merely regular fiction written by a fan. In this case, it may an attempt at the pros which was rejected for reasons of policy having nothing to do with quality of the work; some very good fiction of this sort has appeared, but the quantity has been small. More often, it is an attempt to write for the pros which was turned down because it simply wasn't any good; there is more of this type, and this is the type to which the term "fan fiction" is often applied as a term of opprobnium. A third kind is fiction of high merit which is written in the style of the "little art" magazines; experimental fiction, fiction written to sustain a mood, etc. Much of this stinks, but some of it is excellent. And finally, there is the type of fiction written about fans or Fandom, such as Doc's "Trigger Talk...." serial. Now, I think you have attempted to carry these classifications over into the field of fan-written poetry, but the analogy just doesn't hold, except in the case of something like Raym's "Raymeses," which is comparable to stuff like Doc's serial as to content and intent. -- I think you might write your editorial and any articles or general comments you have to make, beforehand, Walt, reserving the "direct on the stencil" procedure for reviews. You'd find considerable improvement, I think. YNGVI, 1944 (C) From a literary standpoint, Forrie, this is probably the best thing you have presented in FAPA since I became a member; but it isn't intended as a literary gem, and so I'll not criticize it on that basis. I don't like an informer, either, please understand, nor do I like the idea of one member assuming censorial powers; but there is another side to this question which you completely ignore. There exists now, and always has existed, the possibility that some outsider would take one peak at a mailing, get a glance at one of your less palatable nudes or an off-color joke in some other member's pub, and take the thing to the postal authorities, on the grounds that the laws governing dissemination of obscene matter through the mails are being violated. There is an excellent chance that FAPA would be destroyed thereby; not through the agency of any disgruntled member, but through the action of a very few who intentionally or otherwise--in your case, I think, intentionally--flout the law as a means of carrying out a personal whim, or propagandizing certain concepts which are not generally accepted. Note, too, that the would-be informer can't do any damage so long as the law is observed, although when a member avails himself of the special low mailingrates, he necessarily tacitly agrees to abide by the laws governing such special mailing rates. If you, as publisher of VOM, wish to take such a chance, that is your privilege; I notice, however, that you are not disregarding advice along this line as you once did. As for Fandom being "a society asynchronized with space and time, a world unto itself," that is utter hooey. I think, to you, it is; to me it is not, nor is it, I think, to more than ten per cent of the membership of FAPA. You have every right to regard Fandom in that light, but you have no right to endanger the rights of the rest of us, in order to forward that concept. .................... Taken all together, this last has been a very good mailing; not the best, but one of the best; and certainly, some of the activities have been controversial enough for anybody. Which brings us to the very end of this Winter PHANNY.